2008 Summer Paralympics Torch Relay

The torch relay for the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games was held between August 28 and September 6 in eleven cities, and also included the Tomb of the Yellow Emperor.

Planned Route

In 2007, the BOCOG announced the torch relay route, composed of three parts:
* The route of the Paralympics Games Host/Co-Host Cities, which includes Vancover (the host city of the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games, London (the host city of the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games, Sochi (the host city of the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games and Hong Kong (the co-host city of the 2008 Summer Paralympics);
* The route of Modern China, which includes Beijing, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Wuhan, Shanghai, Qingdao, Dalian and Tianjin; and
* The route of Ancient China, which includes Beijing, Huangdiling (The Tomb of Yellow Emperor), Xi'an, Hohhot, Urumuqi, Chengdu, Changsha, Nanjing and Luoyang. [ [http://en.paralympic.beijing2008.cn/torchrelay/news/n214359145.shtml Paralympic torch relay route announced at one-year countdown] ]

Change of the route

In June 2008, the Beijing Games' Organizing Committee announced that the planned 4 international torch relay cities and 4 national cities for the Paralympic Games had been cancelled. The Committee stated that the relay was being cancelled to enable the Chinese government to "focus on the rescue and relief work" following the Sichuan earthquake. The torch relay will be held exclusively within China. [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/25/content_8436905.htm "International torch relay for Beijing Paralympic Games cancelled"] , Xinhua, June 25, 2008]

The route

The relay will start from Tiantan on August 28, and then divide to two parallel lines, before coming together in Beijing [ [http://en.paralympic.beijing2008.cn/news/official/n214577869.shtml Paralympic torch to be lit on Aug. 28] ] :

The route of Modern China

#Beijing
#Shenzhen
#Wuhan
#Shanghai
#Qingdao
#Dalian
#Beijing

The route of Ancient China

#Beijing
#Xi'an
#Huhehaote(Hohhot)
#Changsha
#Nanjing
#Luoyang
#Beijing

Lit

*Date:Aug 28,2008
*Place:Tiantan,Beijing,China
*Host and hostress in post-ceremony and pre-ceremony:Pu Cunxin,Yang Lan
*Host of the ceremony:Guo Jinlong,Mayor of Beijing, Executive President of BOCOG
*Speech:
**Deng Pufang, President of the Chinese Disabled Person's Association, Executive President of the BOCOG
**Philip Craven,President of the International Paralympic Committee
**Liu Qi, President of the BOCOG
*Gather Flame:Jiang Xintian
*Urn Holder:Jin Jing, A famous Paralympic Athlete
*Lighting the Flame:Liu Qi
*Cauldron Lighter and Begin Announcer:Wen Jiabao, Premier of People's Republic of China [ [http://en.paralympic.beijing2008.cn/torchrelay/news/n214585847.shtml Full Coverage of the Paralympic Flame Lighting Ceremony] ]

Relay Summary

Final Relay in Main Stadium

Chinese athletes with disabilities carried the torch in Beijing National Stadium during the Games' Opening Ceremony. Jin Jing carried the torch into the stadium, before it was passed on to Paralympic gold medallists Wu Yunhu, Zhang Hongwei, Zhang Haidong, Sun Changting and Hou Bin. Hou then pulled himself up on a rope to the top of the stadium to light the Paralympic flame. [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9813271.htm "Seven Parlaympians to pass Paralympic flame at opening ceremony"] , Xinhua, September 6, 2008] [ [http://www.cbc.ca/sports/paralympics/story/2008/09/06/paralympics-ceremony.html "Paralympics opening shows what can be achieved"] , CBC, September 7, 2008]

See also

* 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay

References